2:46:31(52:21 +13:34/51:20/49:05) . This was somewhere around 18. It is a very hilly 5.5-6 mile loop dirt road, I added on 13 mins in the middle of the first lap by running down to a trailhead off of the road - I did this in case it was 5.5 miles ... in retrospect, maybe I did not have to do this, in which case I ran closer to 19 miles. Anyway -- not only is this a hilly route it rained pretty much the whole time (there was a ~4 mile/36 min reprieve). The worst part was starting -- I waited until 10AM, hoping the rain would let up ... it didn't so I figured I just had to get out. Driving there was pretty scary -- it is a windy road up to "Gates Pass" and then down to the Saguaro National Park (West). It was raining pretty hard, and the washes were filling up ... boy I was dreading getting out of the car - but I did. All and all, once I "warmed" up (I never actually warmed up because I was soaking wet the whole time, but I felt warmer after I got used to it) I really enjoyed it ... it beats the heck out of 100F and sunny ;-). My shoes were soaking and coated with mud, I kept thinking that this must be what it is like in the Rift Valley (where Patrick Mutai and many of the fast Kenyans are from) ;-). There was one moment when my enjoyment soured a little, it was my last lap and I was actually getting a little tired, my feet were so wet and muddy, well this car comes by from behind me and is going way too fast for the conditions, it slides right next to me and splashes mud/water ALL over me. I am sorry to say I sort of lost my temper bloggers -- I yelled "jerk!!". I then had to tell myself that it wasn't important (I was already soaked after all), and try to get back into my "natural reverie" ... forgiveness is sweet ;-). Happy Sunday Bloggers!!
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